Grinding "hump back" flints

[roundball]

I've used "mizzy wheels" in the past to grind off the "humps" on black English flints...then heard about some sort of "blue diamond grinding wheel" that was much better than Mizzy Wheels...bigger/wider/faster, etc....not having any luck with Google.

Does anybody know anything about them?

Am I rembering the name correctly?

Trying to locate some sort of diamond grinding thingy that fit's in a dremel tool or drill...thanks

 

[rabjr]

This Roundball?
[url] http://cgi.ebay.com/U44-New-1...Z004QQcategoryZ29528QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

 

[rabjr]

Or this?
[url] http://cgi.ebay.com/Diamond-V...Z018QQcategoryZ29528QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

 

[fw707]

roundball, I can't help you with what you are looking for, but I sure thank you for posting the idea. I've been throwing those humpbacks (I call 'em turtlebacks) back into a little pile that I never look at again, and I figured they were just part of the price of doing business with flinter stuff. I've been lucky over the years to get 6-8 usable flints out of a dozen, and it didn't seem to matter where I bought 'em.

 

[Rebel]

Just be careful if you grind the humps off to wear a mask so you don't breath the dust.

 

[roundball]

roundball, I can't help you with what you are looking for, but I sure thank you for posting the idea. I've been throwing those humpbacks (I call 'em turtlebacks) back into a little pile that I never look at again, and I figured they were just part of the price of doing business with flinter stuff. I've been lucky over the years to get 6-8 usable flints out of a dozen, and it didn't seem to matter where I bought 'em.

Oh good gracious no...grind the humps down flat and they'll give as good a long life as a natural flat top...the Mizzy Wheels work OK I just want something that works faster...and it's alleged that the diamond grinding wheel is the real deal...

 

[fw707]

Thanks roundball. :winking:
I haven't thrown them away, but now I gotta go look for the pile. :grin: :thumbsup:

 

[sniper68]

Harbor Frieght... 2 pack for $3.99

:thumbsup:

 

[Ohio Rusty]

You don't need to go thru all that to get the humps off. I made something called an 'Ishi Stick' that all the flint knappers use. I press off the hump or the point on top of the flint just like a big flake The top ends up perfectly flat with no worry about ruining the flint. My Ishi stick is made from a long plastic handled window squeegee like you use at the gas station to clean your windows. I inserted a piece of copper rod in the end and sharpened the rod to a blunt point. I put on a heavy leather glove, put the flint in the gloved hand, and I use the ishi stick between my knees to 'push' off the flake or the hump. Your legs give you more power and leverage. It's extremely easy and you can fix a flint in about 5 seconds. Do some searching on the web for the ishi stick procedure you will have found perfect solution for fixing those hump back flints.
Ohio Rusty

 

[fw707]

Rusty, I know who Ishi was, and I sure wish I could knap flint like he could. :grin:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Rusty: Are you flaking the hump from the side of the flint? I don't see how i can get something to push again with the two bevels that come down off that hump, on the front and back of the flint. Thanks.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I don't understand the issue. I've never yet gotten a 3/4" or 7/8" Tom Fuller flint that didn't work just fine in my Blue Ridge. Seems to me that this issue must be more of a LOCK problem than a flint problem.

 

[roundball]

You don't need to go thru all that to get the humps off. I made something called an 'Ishi Stick' that all the flint knappers use. I press off the hump or the point on top of the flint just like a big flake The top ends up perfectly flat with no worry about ruining the flint. My Ishi stick is made from a long plastic handled window squeegee like you use at the gas station to clean your windows. I inserted a piece of copper rod in the end and sharpened the rod to a blunt point. I put on a heavy leather glove, put the flint in the gloved hand, and I use the ishi stick between my knees to 'push' off the flake or the hump. Your legs give you more power and leverage. It's extremely easy and you can fix a flint in about 5 seconds. Do some searching on the web for the ishi stick procedure you will have found perfect solution for fixing those hump back flints.
Ohio Rusty

OR, do you have a photo of your homebrew 'ishi stick' ?

 

[crowkiller]

roundball
If you know anybody that lays marble or granite floors.Ask if you can use their wet saw.My diamond wet saw will take the hump off in about 10 seconds. I also use it to sharpen flints after they have been knapped a couple of times to. Just be careful using a wet saw mine turns 11,000 rpms.Or if you had alot of flints rent a saw from a big box lumber yard for a hour or two.

 

[roundball]

roundball
"...My diamond wet saw will take the hump off in about 10 seconds. I also use it to sharpen flints after they have been knapped a couple of times to..."

Thanks...unfortunately I don't know anybody in that line of work...the grinder in the photo above looks exactly like what I want for my Dremel or cordless drill, but in checking the Harbor Frieght site, can't find anything looking like that...maybe they've been discontinued.

 

[walley]

Roundball, if you have a Lowe's Hardware in your neck of the woods check with them, they may have the wheel you're after. Or ask a local jeweler about them. Just a couple thoughts.

 

[roundball]

Thanks...I already crawled through a Home Depot...I'll stop at Lowes on the way home from work one night.

What really troubles me is that I apparently am not getting the name of the item right because I can't locate it using the Internet...(I always prefer to just have something show up in the mailbox instead of "going shopping")

 

[walley]

Try the Hobby Shops online.[url] Widgetsupply.com[/url] is
one that has alot of diamond bits for dremel tools.
Look under Burrs & Cutters here.

I think "some" of the bits for sharpening
chainsaw chains are the diamond type bits also.
Let us know what you come up with, I'm looking for
something to touch up flints as well.

Good Luck!